Pinky Swear
by Oni-Panda379
Summary: She gazed up at Cloud, as if she were searching from something. "Have you heard of a 'pinky swear'"?


_Disclaimer: I do not own Final Fantasy VII or anything that pertains to its characters or setting._

**Pinky Swear**

_"See? Everything's alright."_

_"I know. I'm not alone… not anymore."_

Cloud lay awake in his bed late in the night. Staring up at the mix matched steel plating that made up the roof of his room. Plates that made up the once prospering metropolis that was Midgar., now in ruins. Now they were used for the newer, patched together city of Edge. Wind stirred the shear curtains on the open window. Allowing a warm breeze wash over the room. He'd forgotten how much he missed lying in a real bed. This was the first night he slept in the Seventh Heaven since the day he left, almost a year ago.

He moved into the old, crumbling sector 5 slums church. There all he had was some camping equipment that was given to him during one of his deliveries. A thin sleeping bag was all he had to hide away from the cold. He felt he didn't really deserved to stay at the bar anymore. Not after how many times he failed to do anything right. Constantly his guilt ate away at him until he couldn't take it anymore. So he left, convinced that was the only solution.

He now knew that was absolutely idiotic of him. Now he could move on. Start over how he was supposed to after Barret, Tifa, and he planned to. He could become the hero Denzel envisions him to be. He could be there to help Tifa run the bar. He could be a part of the family Marlene considered them to be. Cloud rolled onto his side, Cloud closed his eyes, finally, he could sleep in peace. He closed his eyes, ready to drift off.

Or so he thought. There was a very faint patting sound coming from the hall beyond his partially closed door. Snapping his eyes open, Cloud carefully got out of his bed and quietly walked over to his desk. Without a sound he picked up one of the smaller blades of his Fusion Sword that lay on top of it. A normal person wouldn't be able to pick up the light sound. Cloud was infused with the power of mako energy. It heightened his sense considerably.

It sounded like muffled footsteps. They drew closer to his door. _Could it be an intruder? _Possibly. There wasn't a security system installed in the bar. Cloud tip-toed behind the door, it was opened just a sliver. He couldn't see out of it from his angle. He waited as the footsteps drew even closer. Grabbing the door knob firmly, he yanked the door open. Sure to hold his sword up threatening. He didn't intend to hurt the person, but he would if he had to.

"Who's-"he faltered as he realized that the intruder wasn't an intruder was at all. It was Marlene. Her brown hair was loose and curly around her round face. Free of its usual braid. She wore a very girly pink night gown. A small white rabbit was clutched tightly to her chest. He and Tifa had gotten her that rabbit for her sixth birthday. "Marlene." He looked at her sternly. "What are you doing skulking around so late at night?" He whispered, careful not to wake Tifa across the hall

"I'm sorry!" She whispered back. "I...I was…" She shifted around uncomfortably. Cloud motioned for the young girl to follow him inside his room, where neither of them would wake anyone up. He placed his sword back on its resting place atop his desk. Marlene quietly pushed to door closed then moved to stand in front of it. Almost as if she were afraid to move, for fear of being getting caught doing something she shouldn't be doing. He cheeks were a bright pink. From what, Cloud couldn't tell. But he could tell something was bothering her. She wouldn't look straight at him in the eyes.

Cloud stood awkwardly next to his desk. He was unsure of what to say to the little girl. He didn't know how to deal with children. He thought back on how his mother would have done. She was terrific with children. Whenever he got into trouble, she'd sold him, but then cuddling him to make sure he was okay. He looked over to Marlene. He wasn't like his mom, so what should he do? Tifa said he should just tell them they did something wrong and that they shouldn't do it again. He couldn't really do that either.

Cloud sat down on his bed. He leaned his elbows on his knees and rung his hands in a nervous manner. He was no good at socializing, or talking in general. He looked up at the six year old. "Marlene. What were you doing up so late?" She hesitated for a moment. It was obvious he was trying to make up a cover story, but the girl was a terrible liar. So she settled for telling the truth at all times. After a few moments, she took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I was…I was checking to make sure you didn't leave again." The words came out in a quiet rush. She hid her burning face behind her stuffed rabbit.

Cloud was stunned to say the least. He wasn't expecting that at all. He just stared at her, dumbfounded. Finally, he could think of something to say. "Why would you need to do that?"

"To make sure you didn't leave again. I never want you to leave again…" He voiced trembled. Cloud's stomach twisted as he thought about the time he left. He had no idea it would affect Marlene so much. They were always on friendly terms, but he didn't think they were all that close. He looked up to Marlene and realized that there were tears streaming down her cheeks.

He had never seen Marlene cry. Not even when sector 7 came crashing down and destroyed her home. Not even when Barret, her adoptive father, left to settle with his past after the rebuild of the Seventh Heaven. Cloud's throat tightened from the sudden rush of guilt. It made it hard to speak. "I'm sorry…" he whispered, "I didn't mean… to hurt you." He kept is gaze down. He couldn't handle looking at her in the eye. Before he realized what was happening, Marlene threw herself into Cloud's chest. Her small arms encircled his neck and she buried her face into his shoulder. He just sat there, uncertain on what to do. Then awkwardly, he patted her back. Hoping to try and comfort the little girl. She shook from her held in sobs.

"I know you didn't mean it…but…you still didn't have to leave." She whispered into his shoulder. "Everyone worried about you while you were gone…", hiccups started to break up her tearful speech. "You could have just told us what was wrong. We could have helped, you know."

"I know that now. I was an idiot then."

"Yeah, you kinda were." Cloud laughed.

"Yeah…Are you feeling better now?"

"Yeah."

She pulled back with a sniffle. She gazed up at Cloud, as if she were searching from something. "Have you heard of a 'pinky swear'"? Cloud quirked a brow in question. Now, that was random. "No, I haven't." There were a lot of things he didn't know. Things most kids should have known while growing up. He missed out on a lot of things. He didn't know all the vegetable names until he was 22 when Tifa taught them to him…

"What did you live under a rock as a kid?" Marlene looked that him incredulously. All traces of her tears gone, besides her slightly red nose and eyes. Cloud shook his head at that; she took it as a sign to tell him about this _pinky swears_. "Pinky swears are a special kind of promise. " She held up her small hand into a fist. Save her tiny pinky that stuck straight out. She held it up where he could see it. "When you make a promise, you have to wrap your pinkies together and swear on them that you will never ever break that promise."

"What happens if you break the promise?"

"Your pinky gets cut off!"

Cloud looked down at his hand and wiggled his pinky. "That sounds like a dangerous promise."

"Only if you don't keep your promise." Marlene giggled a smile on her face. She was back to being herself again. Cheerful and talkative. "So, why did you tell me all that?" Marlene's smile disappeared under a serious look that never appeared on the young girls face. "I want you to pinky swear to me." A contemplative look came over Cloud. He thought back on what just happened when he found Marlene outside his door. And what she said. He remembered when she said that he was a part of her family. At first that thought had unsettled him. He didn't think anyone thought of him that way. But he also liked the idea of being a part of a family. Even if it wasn't even a real, blood related family. So, these pinkies swear was the least he could do for Marlene after all she's done for him.

"Okay." She broke out in a grin to that. "What do I have to swear?"

"You have to swear that you will never leave again." Her eyes betrayed her childish desperation. He sometimes forgets she's still just a kid. Cloud held up his hand curled in a fist. Save for the pinky sticking out. She did the same and wrapped her small pinky with his. "Now you have to say you're your promise out loud or else it won't count. And don't forget to say 'I pinky swear'".

"I pinky swear…that I will never leave. Ever again. I'm here to stay." Marlene shook their hands as if it were a hand shake then released them. "There, now you can never break that promise or else you're get your pinky cut off!" Cloud couldn't help that smile that tugged at his lips. "I would never dream of breaking the promise." Marlene threw herself around his neck ina tight hug. She gave him a kiss on the cheek then headed to the door. The brightest, happiest smile he had ever seen on her face.

"Good night, Cloud." She whispered.

"Good night, Marlene." He whispered back.

"_I'm not alone. No, I was never alone."_

_A/N(9/8/11): This is my first official fanfiction. I would highly appreciate some feedback whether it is good or bad. I would love to write more but I am unsure on how good I am. So please review!_

_A/N (10/13/11): This story has been completely rewritten due to it being total crap the last time. Trust me, this one is worlds better._


End file.
